A PHARMacist led Initiative for the Management of Hydroxyurea Therapy in Pediatric Sickle Cell Anemia patients attending a Multidisciplinary Tertiary Hemoglobinopathy Clinic: A retrospective cohort study (PHARMIT‐SCA)

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThe pharmacological treatment of choice for sickle cell anemia (SCA) is hydroxyurea (HU). The therapeutic effect of HU is believed to be dose‐dependent and titration to maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is the standard of care. Clinical pharmacists took an active role in managing HU therapy through patient assessment and prescribing as part of a multidisciplinary team in a pediatric Hemoglobinopathy Clinic.ObjectivesTo identify the proportion of pediatric patients with SCA achieving MTD within 6 months of initiating HU therapy with traditional or pharmacist‐led management. Secondary objectives included quantifying and characterizing pharmacist interventions, and comparing the rate of dose change, dose assessments secondary to laboratory visits and number of acute care visits between cohorts in the 6 months post therapy initiation.MethodsFor this retrospective single center cohort study, 46 patients with SCA on treatment for six consecutive months between January 3, 2013 and February 28, 2019 were included and analyzed. Both groups were allocated 23 patients. Data were collected using electronic and paper medical records. SPSS version 25 was used for all statistical analyses. A P‐value <.05 was used for statistical significance.ResultsMean HU dose at 6 months was significantly higher in the pharmacist cohort (19.1 vs 22.2, P = .038). No patients achieved MTD in either cohort. More acute care visits occurred in the traditional cohort (20 vs 6, P = .01), and dose assessments secondary to laboratory visits occurred more in the pharmacist cohort (1 vs 3 per patient, P = .002). Pharmacists completed 82 follow‐ups and 175 interventions. Most follow‐ups were by phone (53.7%) to assess HU therapy for dose assessments secondary to laboratory visits (58.5%). Thirty‐eight percent of pharmacist interventions were related to HU dose and medication adherence was assessed in 76.8% of follow‐ups.ConclusionPharmacist‐led HU dose management resulted in a significantly higher mean dose of HU at 6 months, more frequent dose assessments secondary to laboratory work, and a reduced number of acute care visits.